Glendale / Burbank Focus

GLENDALE : Council to Unveil Plan for Downtown

A plan for the renewal of Brand Boulevard and the rest of downtown Glendale over the next 10 to 20 years will be unveiled Thursday night during a special meeting of the Glendale City Council.

The Greater Glendale Downtown Strategic Plan, as it is known, is a multifaceted program to encourage the development of new retail shopping areas, a civic auditorium, public parks and possibly even an outdoor amphitheater in the downtown area.

A series of options for the future of the business district was developed by Alex Cooper, a New York architect and urban planner, earlier this year under the direction of the city and Glendale Partners, a group of prominent business people who helped pay for the study. A city-appointed committee has been weighing the options and will present its recommendations at Thursday's meeting, officials said.

The proposals include:

* A major public/private "town center" in the area bounded by Central Avenue and Colorado, Harvard and Louise streets. This could incorporate the existing Central Library with a new civic auditorium, public park or gathering area.

* Expansion of the Glendale Galleria shopping mall onto Brand Boulevard with a pedestrian-friendly entrance. A 200- to 300-room hotel or low-rise office building could also be built nearby.

* Decrease of traffic on Brand by as much as 30% by rerouting cars onto side streets.

Thursday's meeting is at 7 p.m. in the City Council chambers at City Hall, 613 E. Broadway.